After you’ve cooled down your horse’s body and iced their legs, your next focus needs to be on continuing to prevent swelling and inflammation in the legs for the hours following your ride. If the horse was worked strenuously, may have banged himself on the trail or while jumping, or was worked on rough footing, I would recommend applying a poultice to the lower legs. Because most of the stress is on a horse’s front legs, if you are unsure of whether to poultice or not, at least apply poultice to the front legs.

Equipment You’ll Need:

Clay poultice or poultice wraps

Wet paper/towels

Gloves for yourself

Pillow wrap for standing bandage

Track wrap for standing bandage

Focus your attention primarily on the lower leg (from knee-fetlock joints). If the horse has a particular need or injury in a different area, you are welcome to apply poultice there as well.

If Using Clay Poultice

Application:

Tie the horse’s tail up and out of the way if poulticing back legs

Apply gloves so you do not end up with poultice stuck under your nails (it is not harmful to humans)

Open your clay poultice and smooth over the necessary area, forming a layer between 1/8 and 1/4″ thick

Cut poultice paper, blue mechanic towels, a rag, or paper grocery bags to a proper height and length to wrap around the leg

Wet whatever material you chose so that it is thoroughly wet, but not dripping

Wrap this material around the area you applied poultice too

Apply a pillow and then a track wrap to form a stable bandage around the leg (over the top of the wet material)

Removal:

Remove pillow wrap

Remove and throw away wet towel/paper

Either let poultice dry on leg, and curry/brush off of leg

Or use a hose to scrub and wash the damp poultice off the leg

If Using Poultice Wraps

Application:

Tie the horse’s tail up and out of the way if poulticing back legs

Take your poultice wrap out of the package and submerge in water (following package instructions)

Wrap around horse’s leg, and push and smooth into place around the leg

Apply a pillow and track wrap to form a stable bandage over the poultice wrap